Lúcio facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lúcio

Lúcio in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Lucimar Ferreira da Silva
Date of birth	(1978-05-08) 8 May 1978 (age 47)
Place of birth	Planaltina, Federal District, Brazil
Height	1.88 m
Playing position	Centre-back
Youth career
1995–1997	Planaltina EC
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1997	Guará	0	(0)
1997–2000	Internacional	45	(5)
2001–2004	Bayer Leverkusen	92	(15)
2003	Bayer Leverkusen II	1	(0)
2004–2009	Bayern Munich	144	(7)
2009–2012	Inter Milan	96	(3)
2012	Juventus	1	(0)
2013	São Paulo	10	(1)
2014–2015	Palmeiras	25	(2)
2015–2016	FC Goa	16	(0)
2018	Gama	0	(0)
2018–2020	Brasiliense	17	(1)
Total		447	(34)
National team
2000–2011	Brazil	105	(4)
Honours Men's Football Representing  Brazil FIFA World Cup Winner 2002 Korea/Japan FIFA Confederations Cup Winner 2005 Germany Winner 2009 South Africa
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Lucimar Ferreira da Silva (born 8 May 1978), known as Lúcio, is a Brazilian former professional footballer. He played as a centre-back, a defender who plays in the middle of the field. Lúcio was tall and strong, great at heading the ball. He was also famous for his long, powerful runs with the ball, which earned him the nickname O Cavalo ("The Horse").

Lúcio started his professional career in 1998 with Internacional in Brazil. After three years, he moved to Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. There, he reached the 2002 UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid. He even scored a goal in that final! In 2004, he joined Bayern Munich, winning many titles. Later, he moved to Inter Milan in Italy in 2009. With Inter, he won the amazing treble in 2010, which means winning three major trophies in one season: the league, the national cup, and the Champions League.

Lúcio also had a very successful career with the Brazil national team. He won the 2002 World Cup, the 2005 Confederations Cup, and the 2009 Confederations Cup. He was one of the last players from the 2002 World Cup winning team to still be playing professionally.

Lúcio's Football Journey: Club Career Highlights

Starting Out in Brazil

Lúcio began playing football in his hometown of Planaltina. He first played as a forward, trying to score goals. In 1997, he changed to a defender. He was loaned to Guará, where he impressed the club Internacional. They decided to sign him.

Success at Internacional

At Internacional, Lúcio became a key player in the center of defense. His best year was 2000. He was called up to the Brazil national team for the first time. He also won an award as one of the best defenders in the Brazilian league.

Moving to Europe: Bayer Leverkusen

In January 2001, Lúcio moved to Germany to play for Bayer Leverkusen. He was their top defender. In 2002, Leverkusen had a great season but narrowly missed out on winning three major titles. They finished second in the German league. They also lost in the German Cup final and the 2002 UEFA Champions League final. In the Champions League final against Real Madrid, Lúcio scored a goal with a header. However, Real Madrid still won the match 2–1. Even with the losses, Lúcio's strong play caught the eye of many big clubs.

Winning Big with Bayern Munich

In 2004, Lúcio joined Bayern Munich, another top German club. He quickly became a very important part of their team. After the legendary goalkeeper Oliver Kahn retired, Lúcio became the team's vice-captain. He helped Bayern win three German league titles and three German Cups. In a Champions League match against Real Madrid in 2007, Lúcio scored a crucial goal that helped Bayern advance.

Historic Treble with Inter Milan

Lúcio playing for Inter Milan in 2009.

In July 2009, Lúcio moved to Italy to play for Inter Milan. He quickly became a fan favorite. He scored his first goal for Inter with a header from a corner kick. In the 2009–10 season, Lúcio and his defensive partner Walter Samuel played incredibly well. On 22 May 2010, Lúcio was part of the Inter team that won the Champions League by beating his old club, Bayern Munich, 2–0. This win completed a historic "treble" for Inter, meaning they won the league, the national cup, and the Champions League all in one season! For his great performances, Lúcio was chosen for the FIFA FIFPro World XI team in 2010. In 2011, he played his 100th game for Inter. In 2012, he decided to leave Inter.

Brief Stays in Italy and Brazil

On 4 July 2012, Lúcio signed with Juventus, another big Italian club. He played in the Italian Super Cup, which Juventus won. However, he struggled with injuries and didn't play much. He left Juventus in December 2012.

The very next day, Lúcio signed with São Paulo in Brazil. He was happy to be back in his home country after 12 years in Europe. He scored his first goal for São Paulo in April 2013. Later that year, he had some disagreements with the new coach and was removed from the team. This was a tough time for him.

In 2014, Lúcio joined Palmeiras, a rival club of São Paulo. He took on a leadership role in the team's defense.

Adventures in India and Later Career

In June 2015, Lúcio signed with FC Goa in the Indian Super League. He played 14 games in his first season, helping FC Goa finish as runners-up. The next season was less successful for the team.

In 2018, Lúcio returned to his home district in Brazil. He played for Gama and then for Brasiliense. On 29 January 2020, Lúcio announced that he was retiring from professional football.

Lúcio's International Career with Brazil

Early Olympic Experience

Lúcio represented Brazil at the football tournament in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Winning the 2002 World Cup

Lúcio was a key player for Brazil in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. In the quarter-final match against England, he made a small error that led to England's first goal. However, his coach defended him, saying it was his only mistake. In the final against Germany, Lúcio played every minute of the tournament. Brazil won the World Cup, and Lúcio was one of only four players to play every single minute of the winning campaign.

World Cup 2006 and Captaincy

In the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Lúcio set a FIFA record. He played 386 minutes in a row without committing a single foul! This amazing streak ended in Brazil's quarter-final loss to France. In August 2006, Lúcio was chosen as the captain of the Brazil national team.

Confederations Cup Heroics in 2009

Lúcio with Brazilian President Lula and the 2009 Confederations Cup trophy.

Lúcio led Brazil in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. On 28 June 2009, he scored the winning goal in the final against the United States. Lúcio headed the ball into the net from a corner kick in the 84th minute, securing the trophy for Brazil.

2010 World Cup and Beyond

Lúcio playing for Brazil in 2011.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup was Lúcio's third World Cup. He played in all of Brazil's matches. Brazil reached the quarter-finals but were eliminated by the Netherlands.

After the 2010 World Cup, Lúcio remained an important player for Brazil. He kept his starting position as a center-back. On 4 June 2011, Lúcio played his 100th game for Brazil, a huge achievement for any footballer. He also played in the 2011 Copa América tournament. Towards the end of 2011, Lúcio was no longer called up to the Brazil squad. He made his last appearance for his country in September 2011.

Lúcio's Unique Playing Style

Lúcio was considered one of the best defenders of his time. He was tall, strong, and very determined. He was excellent at winning aerial battles and marking opponents closely. He was also known for his strong tackles and his ability to read the game well. Lúcio was great at winning the ball back from attackers.

Even though he was a defender, Lúcio had good technical skills. He was confident with the ball and could pass it well from the back. Sometimes, he even played as a defensive midfielder. What made him truly special were his long, powerful runs forward with the ball. These runs were so distinctive that he earned the nickname O Cavalo ("The Horse"). He also had a powerful shot from long distance.

Lúcio's Personal Life

Lúcio is married to Dione. They have three children named Victoria, João Vítor, and Valentinna. Lúcio is an Evangelical Christian. He often talks about how his faith helps him in his life and football career.

Honours

See also

In Spanish: Lúcio para niños

• List of footballers with 100 or more caps